16-12-202(a) where the principal act is silent or unclear. The

16-12-202(a) where the principal act is silent or unclear. The specific provisions of a principal act or the Wyoming Public Records Act, W.S. 16-4-201 through 16-4-205, are effective and controlling to the extent they conflict with this article.

(b) If an entity is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations or adopt ordinances or bylaws, the entity shall file any rules and regulations it promulgates, ordinances or bylaws it adopts and any amendments thereto with the county clerk for each county in which it is located. No rule, regulation, ordinance or bylaw shall be effective unless filed in accordance with this subsection.

16-12-303. Maintaining public records.

(a) All special districts and other specified entities shall maintain a copy of the following documents, if the documents exist, provided that the Wyoming Public Records Act and all applicable federal statutes shall control the obligations of disclosure of those documents: adopted minutes of all meetings of the governing board and the governing board's committees and subcommittees, records of meetings of the governing board and the governing board's committees and subcommittees, audits, financial statements, election results, budgets, bylaws, rate schedules, policies and employment contracts with all administrators. When consistent with the requirements of this section, all special districts or other specified entities shall produce an original document upon request.

(b) All special districts and other specified entities shall maintain the records described in subsection (a) of this section for public review at their business office if the business office is open to the public for at least twenty (20) business hours each week.

(c) If a special district or other specified entity cannot maintain the records described in subsection (a) of this section as required under subsection (b) of this section, the special district or other specified entity shall file copies of those records with the county clerk in the county wherein the largest portion of the district or entity lies. The documents may be in an electronic format unless otherwise specified by the county clerk. The county clerk may specify the format for records filed pursuant to this subsection.

(d) All special districts or other specified entities shall provide by September 30 each year to the county clerk in every county wherein the entity exists a filing specifying where documents required under subsection (a) of this section are maintained for public review.

16-12-304. Public meetings.

(a) In addition to the requirements of W.S. 16-4-401 through 16-4-408, all public meetings of special districts and specified entities shall be held in a location accessible to the general public or made accessible to the public for purposes of the meeting.

(b) Notice of any meeting of a special district or specified entity shall be made in compliance with W.S. 16-4-404.

ARTICLE 4 - ADMINISTRATION OF FINANCES

16-12-401. Applicability.

This article specifies requirements pertaining to budgeting of the entities listed in W.S. 16-12-202(a) where the principal act is silent or unclear. The specific provisions of a principal act are effective or controlling to the extent they conflict with this article.

16-12-402. Definitions.

(a) As used in this article:

(i) "Appropriation" means an allocation of money to be expended for a specific purpose;

(ii) "Budget" means a plan of financial operations for a fiscal year embodying estimates of all proposed expenditures, the proposed means of financing them and what the work or service is to accomplish;

(iii) "Budget year" means the fiscal year or years for which a budget is prepared;  (iv) "Department" means the state department of audit;

(v) "Estimated revenue" means the amount of revenues estimated to be received during the budget year in each fund;

(vi) "Fiscal year" means the annual period for recording fiscal operations beginning July 1 and ending June 30;

(vii) "Fund balance" means the excess of the assets over liabilities, reserves and contributions, as reflected by an entity's books of account;

(viii) "Proposed budget" means the budget presented for public hearing as required by W.S. 16-12-406 and formatted as required by W.S. 9-1-507(a)(viii) and 16-12-403;

(ix) "Unappropriated surplus" means the portion of the fund balance of a budgetary fund which has not been appropriated or reserved in an ensuing budget year.

16-12-403. Preparation of budgets; contents; review.

(a) Each special district or other specified entity shall prepare a proposed budget pursuant to W.S. 9-1-507(a)(viii). The proposed budget shall comply with department rules and set forth:

(i) Actual revenues and expenditures in the last completed budget year;

(ii) Estimated total revenues and expenditures for the current budget year;

(iii) The estimated available revenues and expenditures for the ensuing budget year.

(b) The estimates of revenues shall contain estimates of all anticipated revenues from any source whatsoever. The estimates shall be made according to budget year, including the difference from the previous budget year for each source.

(c) Each proposed and adopted budget shall be accompanied by a budget message in explanation of the budget. The budget message shall contain an outline of the proposed financial policies for the budget year and describe in connection therewith the important features of the budgetary plan. It shall state the amount of reserves on hand and outline the reserve policy for the budget year. It shall also state the reasons for changes from the previous year in appropriation and revenue items and explain any major changes in financial policy.

(d) The proposed budget shall be reviewed and considered by the governing body of the special district or other specified entity in a regular or special meeting called for this purpose. Following a public hearing as provided in W.S. 16-12-406, the special district or other specified entity shall adopt a budget.

16-12-404. Accumulated reserves or fund surplus.

(a) A special district or other specified entity may accumulate reserves in any fund. With respect to the general fund the accumulated fund balance may be used to meet any legal obligation of the special district or other specified entity or to:

(i) Provide cash to finance expenditures from the beginning of the budget year until property taxes and other revenues are collected; or

(ii) Provide a reserve to meet emergency expenditures.

(b) Money in the reserves may be allowed to accumulate from year to year until the accumulated total is sufficient for specified purposes in accordance with reserve policy.

16-12-405. Property tax levy.

The amount of estimated revenue from property tax required by the budget shall constitute the basis for determination of the property tax to be levied for the corresponding tax years subject to legal limitations.

16-12-406. Budget hearings.

(a) At the request of the board of county commissioners and prior to adopting a budget, special districts or other specified entities shall hold a prehearing with the county commissioners. The special district or other specified entity shall hold a budget hearing in accordance with this section. Notice of the budget hearing shall be provided pursuant to the requirements of W.S. 16-12-304(b).  (b) At the request of the board of county commissioners and prior to July 1, the governing board of the special district or other specified entity shall present to the county commissioners:

(i) A proposed budget;

(ii) Verification of elections, public meetings and board member training; and

(iii) The minutes from any meetings the district or other specified entity has held that year.

(c) Hearings for special district or other specified entity budgets shall be conducted not later than the third Thursday in July except as hereafter provided. The governing board of any special district or other specified entity may choose to hold the budget hearing in conjunction with the county budget hearings and so advertise. Copies of publications of hearings shall be furnished to the director of the state department of audit.

16-12-407. Limitation on appropriations.

A special district or other specified entity shall not make any appropriation in the final budget of any fund in excess of the estimated expendable revenue and reserves of the fund for the budget year.

16-12-408. Adoption of budget.

(a) Within three (3) business days of the conclusion of the public hearing under W.S. 16-12-406, the governing body of each special district or other specified entity shall adopt the budget. Certified copies of the adopted budget shall be on file in the office of the special district or other specified entity and made available for public inspection pursuant to W.S.